The Icemark's Pain
by ChickenShrimp
Summary: Another Day.... Another Battle for Queen Thirrin of The Icemark. The tale of the events before Last Battle Of The Icemark....
1. Sharley Falls

First Story, Please Review, It'll Help

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Queen Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, Ruler of the Icemark, known to some as mum, watched the massacre from atop her horse on a hill. Archers rained down arrows, catapults threw rocks and the fryd launched javelins and stones at the opposing forces. They fell and they fell and their numbers dwindled, Thirrin watched all this with a stony expression she felt sick this wasn't war this was murder. She knew her troops felt the same, her housecarles stood silently while the two ton rocks flew over their heads into the ranks of opposing forces, many had pained faces, a few voiced their concerns but they were quickly subsided when they looked at their Queens face. She knew this was wrong and so did they, nothing more needed to be said.

Charlemange's regiment pushed forward and immediately the ranged troops ceased fire. "Time to bring some honour to this fight" Sharley thought. His men slowly advanced into the enemy and began to cut through their lines like butter. The Queen looked at her son with pride and thanked the goddess she had given him the power to fight, as he had always wanted. He ducked and dived through the opposition slaughtering all that swung for him. His forces continued to advance into the ranks until they were in the centre, from here they made a shield wall and began to sing.

The Queen smiled as their voices hit the wind, it echoed off the hills and eased the mood of many of the other soldiers. Back on the battlefield Sharley realised their invisibility in this position, the enemy had no archers and therefore could not arch over the shield into their precious men. But suddenly and huge parting in the enemies ranks open up dozens of archers ran forward, aim and fired without hesitation. The Queens face faltered, she mouthed the word "my son". She kicked her horse into gear and she screamed as she charged down the hill, thousands of men and horse followed her all hopeful that their prince was still alive.

The Queens own private bodyguard headed the charge, the Ukpik werewolves ripped the enemy limp from limp. The Queen beheaded her enemies with strength and rage, she swung left and then right hoping to kill as many as she could before she was forced to dismount and find the fate of her son. Eventually her team was overcome and they were forced to leave the horses luckily they were only meters from the remnants of the shield wall and it opened up to greet them.

Sharley opened his eyes one of his troops lay on top of him, he pushed him off and got to his feet. About two dozen of his men survived they jumped around trying to rebuild the shield wall, Sharley got to his feet and joined in the line. He could see his Mother, her body guard and troops all charging towards their shield wall. The eastern side opened up and his mother and her men rode in, she dismounted her horse, removed her helmet and ran over to Sharley she hugged him on the spot, kissed him and then slapped him round the face.

"What were you thinking, sending one regiment in?!?" she asked, a blazing look In her eye.

"I...What...We...Why have you left the hill?" he ask confused

"I thought you were hurt... I thought..." her voice died in her throat

"Well I'm alright aren't I mum?" he beamed at her

"I guess you are" she said smiling back

"Right!" she said to Sharley and everyone listening in on the conversation "Secure this area and then slowly push out in one direction....to the east..." she said after a while

***

5 hours later Thirrin realised that Sharley had been hit by an arrow, he collapsed and fell off his horse one mile away from Frostmarris, it seemed to her it wasn't his day. He put her on his horse ripped of her and his armour and zoomed off to the capital. Oskan was waiting there and when he saw Sharley, he took him without a word and ran off to the Citadel. Thirrin hurried along in his wake, he stopped outside the infirmary and kicked open the door, there were few people in here, Oskan dropped his son unto a bed and began to examine him. He found the wound and quickly attempted to heal it.

He faltered and turned to look at his wife...

"What kind of arrow hit him?" he looked strange...far...distant.

"I don't know It was just from a small legion of Giaian archers" She frowned

"But you said the Giaians didn't have archers" He looked further worried

"They don't normally, but maybe they were getting desperate?" She was also getting worried

"This is no normal wound I don't know if I can..."he shudderd

"You must try..." she paused

They looked at each other

"Thirrin, dear? This arrow has Polypontain markings" he smiled

"So, what does that mean?" she asked nervously

"It Means the Empire wants revenge"

She gasped "oh...."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The End, Please Review (I Might Do Some More)


	2. The Empire

Here is the 2nd chapter, done in a record time hope you enjoy....Review :)

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Sharley woke with the biggest headache he'd ever experienced in his life. His head boomed from the reaction of the poison to his nervous system. He got up, swayed and fell on the floor, he looked around at his surroundings and he was in the medical infirmary of the citadel. His father had ordered it to be built this immediately after the first war with the Polypontain Empire. At first his mother had opposed the idea but Oskan had convinced her that they needed a medical centre close to the Royal Apartments and especially the Great Hall, where many slipups and accidents occurred. He got back up to his feet and glanced at place where he had slept there were bloodied bandages and medical instruments scattered around. He looked down at his chest and saw that he'd been the patient receiving the treatment, there were bandages wrapped around his shoulder and whole left side.

Sharley opened the door and was immediately faced with two guards, they gave him stony faced expressions and told him to "go back to bed prince" he turned back grudgingly and jumped back into bed. He stayed awake the whole day and his mother and father visited him in the evening. As Sharley heard footsteps approaching he closed his eyes and feigned sleep. His father entered first as only the whisper of footsteps could be heard, his mother entered second the bangs and tumbles of a warrior in full combat gear. They both approached his bed and began to whisper to each other.

"Is he alright, he's just sleeping right?" asked Thirrin worried

Oskan remained silent

"Yes...yes he's sleeping" he said after a while

"Good.......so it was the Polypontain who tried to kill him?" she asked quietly

"Yes from the werewolf relays and spy reports we have learned that the Empire gave the Giaians a hit squadron of archers with the sole intentions to take out any royals or generals from the Icemark" he explained

Thirrin thought about this quietly "why not musketeers?"

"For many reasons I believe first muskets are ineffective against shield walls their rounds just smash into the shields, secondly sending archers would make this act more inconspicuous as musketeers would easily be spotted as soldiers of the Empire, its fine dear the Empire is collapsing and they want revenge for you killing their best general, it will be over soon" Oskan explained this knowing his wife knew these facts, he just needed to be her voice and clear her head.

"I agree your right as always" she looked up at him with her green eyes and kissed him on the mouth, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Im tired of war Oskan, all it is a waste of time" she said

Oskan gasped, genuinely shocked, how his warrior queen could speak so of the art she had been born to love he didn't know.

Sharley laid in his bed still pretending to sleep, so he thought to himself it was the Empire who tried to kill him....know he knew who to take his revenge against. But in the mean time he was still worried about his mother she seemed different she never normally complained of war. In fact normally she would have fun and even laugh in combat it was as Oskan said....she was a warrior queen and she was born to fight...

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Second chapter please review and tell me what you think


	3. The Stranger

It was Yule. That much was obvious to the lone wanderer who emerged from the Great Forrest onto the flat plains. He could hear the carols and merry cheers even as he approached the southern gate, where the harsh winds blew the worst. He nodded to the single guard on duty, he nodded and grunted back less than happily. The man began to hum one of the more popular carols as he skipped down the street looking for his "friend" as he would call him, to stop him from sympathising too much. Suddenly he spotted the turning he was looking for and dashed into it.

Immediately two guards lowered their spears to face the man.

"Stop in the name of Queen Thirrin!" they both yelled simultaneously.

"Wait!" the man's voice broke in panic and fear.

Both the guards waited silently for the man to continue

"Yes...erm I bring news for Prince Charlemange" said the man reasserting his confidence.

"From?" asked the biggest of the men.

"The crowned Prince of the desert kingdom" said the man "step aside" he then added.

Both guards looked at each other and the smaller one nodded, they both stepped apart to let the messenger through.

The man entered the training lists where he knew the prince would be training at this time, he strode over to a stable boy and spoke to him

"Summon Prince Sharley over here would you?" he asked actually enjoying himself.

"Summon...but he's a... I can't do that" the boy stuttered

"Do it" His voice emitted power and the boy complied, although less than willingly.

Eventually after the war game had ended the stable hand plucked up enough courage and asked Sharley to meet the stranger.

Both Sharley and the stranger looked into each other's eyes... The prince made the first move...

"Eh up Hairy Arse!" he looked so shocked and yet so happy.

"Alright Fat Head?" Said Prince Mekhmet of the Desert Kingdom "How's things?"

"There great Hairy Arse, just great" Replied Sharley

And for the first time Sharley felt like they where...


	4. No Point

**M = Prince Mekhmet, sorry for the long time no update but I've been busy working on other fanfic websites.... hope you enjoy**

The council of war commenced. M stared around the room cautiously taking in every face, every look and most importantly every word. He nodded when it was required and spoke out against everything he disagreed with and yet he felt out of place, and "no wonder" he thought. He was sitting in a room covered from top to bottom in wood. Sharley had once told him it was the norm in places with so much wood to spare, he shuffled his chair away from the wall suddenly wondering how it could stay up without peeling off the walls.

Sharley raised his hands palms pointing outwards, the gesture had the right effect, and the chamber fell silent.

"So" he said opening his eyes "It's simple the Giaians invaded for more land and the Empire saw a chance to weaken us once more"

Yes was the general answer that went around the room, a few felt annoyed to the fact that a two hour meeting could be summed up in little words. Although most of the meeting had been filled with M describing the Giaians troop movements east of the Polypontain empires boundaries.

**Earlier**

"So as you know" M stated in his now almost perfect Icemark "the Giaians occupies a small land very much like your own, given to them by the Empire, the received it after they sided with them in some fight or another....."

"But..." he continued "recently the Empire has considered withdrawing its support and evicting the..."

"Why?" the queen asked without all of the careful consideration and formalities M had decided to use.

"Err... I'm sorry I'm unsure.... your majesty" he suddenly looked nervous and remembered how his father had once had someone executed for saying nothing short of this.

"But we do know that, for some reason the Empire is backing them in many ways training, arms, armour, siege weaponry, horses and even squadrons of their own assassins"

**Flashback Over**

"Were screwed" Sharley almost moaned

M flinched at his choice of words "no I promise you were not I've had my father send fifth thousand units of cavalry and with that running them down will have finished this Wa..Conflict in no time"

Sharley smiled "maybe your right" he jumped to his feet and said "at any case let's not sit around here moaning"

M jumped to his feet and followed Sharley from the now empty wooden walled room. It still gave him creeps.

**And again sorry.....Hope you enjoyed and remember to review.... **


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